Crate



Aug. 23, 1932. .1. J. DAHLSTROM CRATE Filed June 50, 1931 inventor Z'I'Om a JJJaEZJ wm+ attorney.

Patented Aug. 23, 1932 q i V i i UNITED STATES JOHN JAMES nnnnsrnom,.. )r'nnwonnnensi Louisiana; imam;yum; filed J aeso, 1931. ser l e imes;

The present invention relates to crates or la-rlypointed out in the claims appended boxes and particularly to a crate Wh'ich'is of heretoi' 3 i y the knock-down type; In-the drawingfwhereinlike symbolsreier object of the present invention" is to to like'or' corresponding parts throughoutthe 5 provideaknock-down crate which is of relaseveral viewsjv I tively light simple, strong and durable con- Figure 1 is a'perspectiveview of a crate struction and a crate which when fOldGd Wlll constructedaccording to thep'resent inven occupy but small space, and which whenset -tion, a portion of the locking strip bei-n'g up'will have the bottom, top and various parts broken away to 'showgthe end structure of't'he' 7 id thereof interbraced with one another; to protop of the crate. 1 e o0 vide a relatively strong and'rigid structure Figure 2is asideelevation of the crate, capable of protecting the contents of the Figure 3 isa horizontal section taken crate. i through the/crate "substantially on the line Another feature ofthepresentinvention'is indicated at 3-3 in Figure-1;

toiprovide animproved corner piece adapted Figured is a transverse sectiontaken subto serve not only as a' hinge, but also as a Stantially-on the line 4 l' and showing'fra'g reinforcement between'the adjacent walls of mentarily the lower portionof the crate with the crate and which further may serve as the bottdmthereof fibollt t0 "b'e' app d 7 supports for the top, bottom and locking pQ d t il wi g e p i g- 7 -11; strip employed,and'which'is so constructed inggout wa rvdly Of hs Ofc te-dU i g La crate which may be quickly and easily set up g fiP nd as to admit of the quick and easy knocking thepositioning ofthe bOttOI IL" down and setting up ofthe crate. i 1 Figure'5 is a fragmentary perspectiveview- V The invention has for a further object to f h upp end of he e S wing anant provide an improved bottom construction of hOI'iDg and securingattachment for liel fi i. '15 ithin the crate and interlocked Withth cor: F g 6 i a fragmentary I I IX liiVe viw ner pieces and sides of the crate tosecurely 0f h anchoring strip with "a modifiedform hold the bottom against movement andlfrom 0 n gl h -i ig means i l' l a pressing inwardly upon the goods whiehare associated with the adjacent cleat'of thetop carried in the crate. 7 0f h I'flt The invention still further aims at the pro-v gfi l g" t0 d a i g; 0 designates vision of an improved locking stripv and P SideSYf the Crate which may 6 means f rh ldjng th Same i l upon 1 any suitable construction and are shown in removable top of the crate, the means emf P 9 i t nw in t form of bs a bodying features admitting of the quick and y rectangular p frames t h 1 31 "l -5 scribed hereinafter, andwill bemoreparticugrate 'and'overhangthe interior thereofsoas easy securing of the locking strip in closed p d botmm p l T Crate 5: 5 position after the crate is filled and the top l a na s 2 w le r nyys w adjusted in closed position, 7 ableiconstmctlon n y be 1m lthe p 9 The 'inventionalso embodies certainstr uc-i m- 9 b rd a andlwhlhlgm tural features carrying, out the above objects l m Q l j h upper dg P V and advantages and which" readily adapt m w h stnps' to with was eta-a asismrea:-

n1na--e structures so that the present lnventionma nof each Side waurlo by 1,081 fiangesFn 3: tains substantially the convention fiyp a an is a late 14': bein dis osed at each cor Shape- .Of Crete ew secrlfice the eac h Siamese with its other'anglepb iiiit i V PF V Ofthls f overlapping-the adjacent edge-ofthe adja W1th the foregolngand other D J cent endwall 12; Theangle pIatesls areof view, the lnventlon Wlll be more fully odes fici t widthtoextend w ya h .to provide shoulders which face inwardly at I with a detent 16 which is punched inwardly with respect to the interiorof the crate so astOQPI'OVldG an anchoring stud or pro ect on 15 are used uponwhich the sides andends'of the crate may be collapsed.

Each angle plate may also be provided for engagement with the removable parts of the cra'te'when the partsare in position.

- ,The crate bodyis provided with a bottom 17 which'may comprise crossed longitudinal and transverse strips to provide an open bottom structure for ventilation purposes The bottom 17 is providedintermediately with a relatively long strip orcleat 18'project1ng at opposite ends beyond the lateral edges of the bottom '17 and which, as'shown in Figure 4, ,isadapted to-engage beneath the lower edges of the sides 10 of the crate when the bottom 17 is forced downwardly through'the crate and snapped pastthe intermediate portions of the sides 10. V. This cleat 18 thus holds the bottom against moving upwardlyinto the interior of the crate should pressure be brought solely upon the bottom, The corners of thebottom 17 rest fiat againstthe inwardly facing shoulders of the-angleplates 14:. at

vthe bottom. of the crate.

- The top of the crate 1s closed by a suitable top or cover 19 which may comprise any suitable structure providing transverse slots 20.which are secured to the top 19 and which project beyond the lateral edges thereof'so as to overlap the upper edgesof the sides 10 and thus hold the top 19 from falling downinto the crate.- I

a, One end of the top 19 isprovided with a permanent slat or cleat 21 secured to the top, and which extends over the adjacent .corners of the top and which engages against the inwardly facingshoulders of the angle plates 14 at the adjacent end of the crate.

. They other end of the top 19 is-provided' with bevelled corners. 22. adapted to escape the adjacentangle plates lgtas th t '19 i swung down into position between the upper edge portions otthe -sides 10, e The bevel cornered end of. the top 19 is secured in posi tion by means-of alock strip 23 which is of a lengthrcorresponding substantially to thatofthe width of the .top andwhichis slidably disposed thereon'for sliding engagement beneath the adjacent angle plates 14 and which is adapted at opposite ends'topro ject beyond the bevelled corners 22 otthe tope o ng g b ath the angl plates. 14:

and against the detents or projections 16.

intermediate portion of an anchoring wire 25. The wire 25 is of single length overturned intermediate its ends which is suitably twistednear its-overi-turned end to provide a loop 26 which projects beyond the locking strip 23 to engage over upon the adjacent reinforcing strip 13 of the end wall. '12 and which may receive a suitable locking device therethrough such" as a nail, a bail or the like.

The-tree tend beneath the adjacent cross slat 29 and are diverged to provide. retaining arms 27 which overlap upon the upper sideof the top,

19between the longitudinal members thereof. The anchoring wire 25 may thus freely slide back and forth with the locking strip 23 and when the cover or top 19 is removed from .the crate, the anchoring wire. 25 holds the locking strip in proper relation thereto. I

The locking wire or member 25 may be slightly modified as shown in Figure 6. In the modification, the locking member'comprises a flat strap 28 of metal orthe like which is turned over near its intermediate portion to providea loop, for slidablehengagement over the adjacent cross, slat 20 of the top and which has its free end portions secured ends of the anchoring wire 25 ex:

againstthe opposite sides of the locking strip 23 by a rivet 29. The upperleg of the looking member 28 preterably 'projects beyond the locking strip 23 and hasanfaperture 30 corresponding to the loop 26 of Figure 5 to receive a suitable retaining device which may be associated with the adjacent endwall12 for securing the locking strip 23 in closed position. v I a In assembling the crate, it is only necessary toswing the sides 10 and end walls 12 into right angular relation, such as shown in Figure 3, and to then grasp the bottom 17 and place it lengthwise within the body of the crate with one edge of the bottom lowermost.

The lower edge. of the bottom 17 is first brought into place at the. bottom of the crate with the ends of the bottom resting upon the adjacent angle plates 14. The bottom 17 is then forced against the adjacent side 10 of the plate'and such action brings the project ing end of the cleat 18 beneath the said side 10. "The other edge of the bottom 17 is now forced downwardly with the projecting end of the cleat 18 sliding against the iopposite side 10 of the crate,'and this downwardly swinging movement of the bottom 17 fiexesor bulges the side 10 of the crate outwardly,as

shown in dotted lines'in Figure 4, southat the end of'the cl-eat' 18 may :pass down into posi tion beneath the flexed side. The side 10 of the crate now snaps into position over the cleat 18 and thus locks the bottom 17 within the bottom of the crate and in position upon the angle plates 14.

The crate may be provided with any desired horizontal and Vertical partitions, separators or any other devices which are re-' quired in the packaging of the articles in the crate. The top or cover 19 is now placed on the crate body by first introducing the square end of the top with the slat 21 into one end of the crate beneath-the adjacent angle plates 14. The locking strip 23 is moved back into position against the opposite end cross cleat 20 and the bevelled corners of the top 19 are pressed downwardly below the horizontal plane of the adj acent'angle plates 14 during which time the, locking strip 23 is slid outwardly to project beyond the bevelled corners 22 of the top and to engage beneath the angle plates 14. 7

The fastening means if;used may now be engaged in the loop 26 or, where the strap is employed, in the hole 30 and with the adj acent end wall 12 so as to lock the strip 23 from accidentally sliding out from under the angle plates 14 and releasing the top.

It will be obvious that various changes in the construction, combination and arrang 1 ment of parts could be made,which could be used without departing from the spirit of my invention, and I do not mean to limit the invention to such details, except as particularly pointed out in the claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. A crate comprising a pair of sides, a pair of ends, angle plates secured to the corners of said sides, and projecting inwardly therefrom at the top and bottom of the crate, pivots se-V curing the inwardly projecting portions of the angle plates to the adjacent end walls for pivotally connecting the same to the sides, said angleplates being of sufficient width to project inwardly beyond the sides and ends of the crate and provide inwardly and oppositely facing shoulders at the top and bottom of the crate, a bottom removably fitting in the crate between the sides and ends thereof, a locking cleat carried across the underside of the bottom and projecting beyond the lateral edges thereof for engagement beneath the lower edges of said sides upon the flexing outwardly thereof to lock the bottom against the lower shoulders in the crate, a cover removably fitting in the top of the crate with one end against the adjacent shoulders thereof and having bevelled corners at its opposite ends to escape the shoulders at the opposite end of the crate, a locking slat slidably disposed on the bevelled cornered end of the top and removably engaging beanchoring means disposed between the cover and the locking slat for holding the same to the covers 7 2. A crate comprising pivotally connected sides and ends and having inwardly facing V shoulders at its upper and lower corners, a bottom removably fitting in the crate between the sides and ends and resting on the lower shoulders, and a cross cleat carried by the'bottom intermediate its ends and engaging against the lower edges of the sides for holding the bottom upon the shoulders, said sides being relatively flexible for admitting passage of the ends of the cross cleat therebetween in the removal and positioning of the bottom.

3. In a crate, a reinforcing and pivotally connecting angle plate for use between an adjacent side and end of the crate, comprising a sheet of metal bent intermediately at substantially right angles to provide a pair of flanges, one of said flanges adapted for fixed attachment to the outer face of the side of the crate with the other flange extending inward' the crate and adapted for pivotal connection with the adjacent end of the crate.

4. In a crate, a body portion, a top for the body portion adapted to fit between the sides and ends thereof, angle plates carried at the corners of the body portion and projecting inwardly from the sides and ends thereof to provide shoulders, said top adapted to engage at one end beneath the shoulder at one end of the body and having bevelled ends adapted to escape the shoulders at the opposite end of the body, a locking strip slidably mounted on said second end of the top for slidable engagement' outwardly beneath the adjacent shoulders and beyond the bevelled corners of the top, an anchoring device carried by said locking strip and slidably engaging an ad-' acent portion of the top, for holding the strip in assembled relation thereto when the ..top is removed from the crate, said anchoring means having a securing projection extending beyond the locking strip for cooperatlve engagement with the adjacent end ofthe crate.

JOHN JAMES DAHLSTROM. 

